1-methylpyrrolidine-1-oxide



United States Patent 01 3,239,535 Patented Mar. 8, 1966 3,239,535 1-METHYLPYRROLIDINE-1-OXIDE Scott Searles, Jr., Manhattan, Kans., assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York No Drawing. Filed Oct. 31, 1963, Ser. No. 320,526 1 Claim. (Cl. 260-313) The present invention relates to new and novel compositions of matter consisting of l-methylpyrrolidine 1- oxide and N,N-dimethyl-p-nitrobenzylamine oxide, which are especially suitable curing materials for epoxy resins. More particularly these new compositions of matter are useful in providing improved heat curable mixtures comprising one or more epoxy resins and at least one tertiary amine oxide.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application, Serial No. 141,627, filed September 29, 1961, entitled, Epoxy Curing Materials.

Epoxy, epoxide or ethoxyline compositions having the grouping are well known, commercially available materials having a variety of applications in the art. Generally, such epoxy materials comprise a polyet-her derivative of a polyhydric organic compound, the derivative containing 1,2 epoxy groups, and the organic compound being selected from the group consisting of polyhydric alcohols and polyhydric phenols containing at least two hydroxy groups. For example, US. Patent 2,324,483 to Castan discloses epoxy resin compositions comprising the reaction prodnet of phenols having at least two phenolic hydroxy groups and an epihalo-hydrin, such as epichlorohydrin. The reaction product disclosed is described as having at least two epoxy groups, and may not be cured to a thermoset infusible mass by the use of a carboxylic or polybasic acid, or acid anhydride, such as phthalic anhydride.

In addition to the use of polybasic acids and acid anhydrides as curing or hardening agents for epoxy resins, the use of a variety of organic amine-type materials has also been recognized, as illustrated by Patent 2,444,333 to Castan. In general, these amine-type materials consist principally of primary or polyfunctional amines, i.e., amines containing at least two active hydrogen atoms per molecule which are attached directly to the nitrogen atom, and boron trifluoride-amine type complexes. However, the pot life of epoxy resins containing an amine curing agent is comparatively short, and the high temperature characteristics of the cured resin are often poor. In addition, the amines themselves are highly toxic materials and are thus difiicult to handle by workers in the art. The deleterious effect of atmospheric humidity on the boron trifluoride-arnine complexes, which react irreversibly with water, has also raised a diflicult problem. Further, the amines or amine-boron trifiuoride complexes remain in their original form in the cured resin product, and cause either continued polymerization of the resin, or the slight conduction of current therethrough during use, or both, which effects may seriously interfere with the satisfactory use of the cured resin in a particular installation requiring high electri-cal insulation characteristics.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide new and novel compositions of matter consisting of l-methylpyrrolidine l-oxide, and N,N-dimethyl-pnitrobenzylamine oxide, which are especially suitable for use as curing or hardening agents for epoxy resins.

In general, any epoxy resin containing the grouping may be cured with the compounds of the present invention. Examples of such resins are given in US. Patents 2,324,483 and 2,444,333 to Castan, and British Patents $118,087, and 579,698. Generally, the epoxy resins described therein are the reaction products of an epihalohydrin such as epichlorohydrin and a phenol having at least two phenolic hydroxy groups such as bis-(4-hydroxyphenol)-2,2-propane. US. Patents 2,494,295 to Greenlee, 2,500,600 to Bradley and 2,511,913 to Greenlee further describe epoxy resins which may be used in conjunction with the present invention. The epoxy resins used therein have more than one epoxy group per molecule and may be obtained by reacting a polyhydroxy alcohol or phenol such as hydroquinone, resorcinol, glycerine, condensation products of phenols with ketones, such as, for example, bis-(4-hydroxyphenol -2,2-propane, with epichlorohydrin. The reaction of epichlorohydrin with bis-(4-hydroxyphenol)-2,2-propane is as follows:

where n has an average value ranging from 0 to 10. Such ethoxyline resins are sold under the name of Epon by Shell Chemical Corporation, under the name Araldite by the Ciba Company, as Epi-Rez resins by Devoe-Raynolds Company, and ERL resins by the Bakelite Company. The data given below for such resins is representative.

TABLE I Epoxy Resin Epoxide M.P., degrees Equivalent 192 225-290 20-28 450-525 64-76 905-085 97-103 1, 600-1, 900 127-133 2, 400-4, 000 -155 140-165 Liquid 300-375 40-45 192 Liquid 200-205 Liquid -200 Liquid Epi-Rez 510 175-200 Liquid As shown in my copending application, of which this application is a continuation-in-part, any tertiary amine oxide or mixture of such tertiary amine oxides may be used as curing or hardening agents for any type of epoxy material having the grouping:

Ward epoxy materials. Unexpectedly, however, it was discovered that tertiary amine oxides are especially suitable an epoxy curing or hardening agents, and possess several advantages over the use of the amine-type curing agents heretofore employed in the prior art. Notably, the tertiary amine oxides are not toxic materials as are the types of amines which were heretofore employed as epoxy resin hardeners and. are thus much easier to handle. Moreover, the tertiary amine oxides, after initiating polymerization and cross linking of epoxy type materials form polymer end groups (trialkylalkoxyammonium groups) which are known to decompose into aldehydes andtertiary amines upon warming. Accordingly, the use of tertiary amine oxides provides a curing-or hardening catalyst which may be automatically eliminated from the cured epoxy material. Thus, the slight conduction of electric current through the polymerized resin product as well as the continued polymerization of that product due'to continued presence of catalyst is entirely prevented.

A further advantage inherent in the use of tertiary amine oxides as epoxy material hardeners resides in the fact that atmospheric humidity has less of an efifect on the catalytic efiicacy of these compounds than'on the more hygroscopic amine-boron trifluoride complexes, which, as stated above, react irreversibly with water. In the case of tertiary amine oxides, absorbed water may be removed simply by heating, or. by the employmentof vacuum, or both, either in the pure state of these oxides or after incorporation into the epoxy resin. Moreover, and perhaps most importantly,'the pot life of'epoxyamine oxide mixtures is excellent,.being in some cases in excess of two weeks.

As stated, any tertiary amine oxide may be employed for the purposes set forth above. Among the preferred tertiary amine oxides capable of use as epoxy resin hardeners or curing catalysts, however, are those corresponding to the general formula R1 Rz-fil- (X) n where n is a number from -1, X is a radical selected from the group consisting of alkyl radicals, e.g. methyl, ethyl,

propyl, isopropyl, butyl, octyl, etc. radicals; cycloalkyl radicals, e.g. cycloexyl, cycloheptyl, etc. radicals; aryl radicals, e.g. phenyl, diphenyl naphthyl, etc. radicals; alkaryl radicals, e.g. tolyl, xylyl, ethyl phenyl, etc. radicals; aralkyl radicals, e.g. phenylethyl, benzyl, etc. radicals; haloaryl radicals, e.g. monochlorophenyl, dibromophenyl, Itetrochlorophenyl, monofluorophenyl, etc. radicals; haloalkyl radicals, e.g. chloroethyl, chloromethyl, pentafluoroethyl, etc. radicals; cyanoalkyl radicals, e.g. cyanomethyl, cyanoethyl, cyanopropyl, etc. radicals; nitroalkyl radicals, e.g. nitromethyl, nitroethyl, etc. radicals; nitroaryl radicals, e.g. nitrophenyl, nitronaphthyl, etc. radicals; nitroarylalkyl radicals, e.g. nitrobenzyl, nitrophenylethyl, etc. radicals; R is a radical selected from the same class of radicals as X above, and in addition, may consist of at least one carbon atom connected through R so that morpholine, lutidine, picoline, etc. and R is a radical selected from the same class of radicals as X above and, in addition, may consist of at least one carbon atom connected through R so that R1 P )n forms a heterocyclic ring.

The tertiary amine oxides that are utilized asthe curing agents for epoxy materials should preferably .be soluble in the epoxy material to be cured so as to obtain a homogeneous solution therewith. In certain instances, however, it may be advantageousto employ a small quantity of a common solventso as to obtain a solution of the amine oxide in the epoxy material to be hardened;

Among the varieties of tertiary amine oxides which may be used as curing agents for epoxy materials are two new and novel compoundsof the presentinvention which have been found to be especially suitable. They arev l-methylpyrrolid-ine l-oxide and N,N dimethyl-p-nitrobenzylamine oxide.

The preparation of tertiary amine oxides'by the treatment of a tertiary amine with a suitable oxidizing agent 1 has been described in the prior art, mostly in'the scientific literature. It has been shown, for'example, that some;

tertiary amine oxides could be prepared- .by reacting a tertiary amine with hydrogen peroxides in an aqueous reaction medium. It has also been reported in :the prior art that the tertiary amine oxidef'product is unstable and is nota crystalline product. Thus, it has beenreported that-tertiary amine oxide derivatives, such as the amine oxide hydrohalides, have often been prepared since these compounds. are usually more stable than the tertiary amine oxide itself and also are usually crystalline whereas. the tertiary amine oxides are not.

perature unstable and decomposetrapidly at a temperature of about C.

Unexpectedly the two new tertiary amine oxides of'this invention instead of being noncrys'talline andunstable' have been isolated as pure crystalline thermally .stable* solids. .More specifically, the l-methylpyrrolidine l-oxide of this invention was isolate-d as a pure crystalline solid which exhibited no detectable decomposition when heat ed at C. for one hour. This property is wholly unexpected in view of the fact that l-methylpyrrolidine l-oxidenhas four beta hydrogen atoms available for reaction.

tertiary'amine oxide was also isolated as a pure crystalline solid.

Both of the special and unexpected properties of these tertiary amine oxides: make them especially suitable for: use as the curing agents in the heat curable epoxy com-1 positions ofmy 'above referenced. copending application of which this application is a continuation-in-part.

Inorder. that those skilled in the art may better understand how the present invention may be practiced, the

following examples of .makingand using the new and novel tertiary amine oxides of the present invention as wellas using a varietyof known tertiary amine oxides are given by way of illustration and not bylimitation;

All parts and percentages are by weight unless otherwise noted.

Example 1 66 grams (0.60 mole) of a 30% hydrogen peroxide solution was slowly added with stirring to 30 grams (0.40

mole) of N-methylpyrrolidine which had been previously cooled in-an ice bath. The stirring was continued for a period of 'about.4 hours after which the mixture was permitted to remainat room'temperature for about 20 hours. Thereafter, the excess hydrogen peroxide Was-decomposed by introducing platinum'foil and warm-ing the mixture slightly. Upon the termination of oxygen evolution, the solution was evaporated under reduced pressure Moreover, it has been reported in the prior art that tertiary amine oxides with hydrogen atoms attachedto a carbon atom in the position beta to the amine nitrogen atom are very tem- 1 with the assistance of a water pump. Subsequently, evaporation was continued with the assistance of an oil pump which was operated for several hours. A white, crystalline solid remained, consisting of l-methylpyrrolidine l-oxide. The oxide was very soluble in water, giving a very weakly basic solution, a feature characteristic of the low molecular Weight members of its class. Due to the hygroscopic nature of the compound, an accurate determination of its melting point by the usual method was found to be ditlicult. The melting point was estimated, however, at 60 C. The structure of the compound was confirmed by infrared analysis. Absorption bands were found at 6.1, 6.5, 7.0, 10.7 and 12.2 microns. It was further observed that the spectrum was practically unchanged after the compound had been treated at 150 C. for 1 hour and 210 C. for 5 minutes, indicating that the compound was unusually stable to heat for an amine oxide having a hydrogen atom on a beta carbon atom.

A warm alcoholic solution of 1.0 gram of picric acid was added to a warm alcoholic solution of 0.5 gram of l-methylpyrrolidine l-oxide and practically quantitative yield of the picrate salt of that oxide was rapidly precipitated. After recrystallization from an alcohol-ether mixture, this derivative was obtained as thick, yellow, rod-shaped crystals having a melting point within the range of 201-204 C. Analysis of these crystals showed them to contain: C40.16 percent; H-4.22 percent; N16.99 percent; -38.63 percent. The theoretical analysis for the expected C I-1 N 0 is: C-40.00 percent; H4.27 percent, N-16.97 percent; O--38.76 percent.

Example 2 To a solution of one mole of N,N-dimethyl-p-nitro benzyl amine dissolved in ten parts of acetone were added, with stirring, 1.5 moles of 30 percent hydrogen peroxide. The resulting solution was then allowed to remain at room temperature for about 24 hours. Water and a piece of platinum foil were subsequently introduced so as to decompose the unreacted hydrogen peroxide. When the evolution of hydrogen had ceased, the platinum foil was removed, and solvent removal eifectuated by vacuum distillation at a temperature below 75 C. The resulting amine oxide crystals were hygroscopic in nature and darkened on standing. The picrate analysis was: C 42.65 percent; H.3.85 percent; N16.23 percent; O-37.27 percent. The theoretical analysis for the exected C H N O is: C-42.36 percent; H3.55 percent; N16.47 percent; O-37.62 percent.

Example 3 1.5 grams of l-methylpyrrolidine l-oxide were added to 103 grams of Epon 828 resin (an epoxy resin formed from bisphenol and epichlorohy-drin, having an epoxide equivalent of 192, a melting point of 9 C. and a viscosity at 5,00015,000 cps. at 25 C.). The mixture was continually stirred until the amine oxide was completely dispersed in the resin. The resulting amine oxide solution was poured into a mold containing a A by A" by 1" iron slug and the mold placed in a forced draft oven which was maintained at a temperature of 100 C. The resinamine oxide mixture gelled in approximately one hour and was very hard in 1.5 hours. The temperature within the oven was then raised 200 C. and the resin postcured at that temperature for two hours. Thereafter, the cloudy aspect of the resin disappeared (due to the elimination of the amine oxide end groups) and the resin became extremely clear and hard, and had a slightly reddish color.

The cured resin product obtained in Example 3 was then subjected to two cycles of heating at 200 C. for about six hours. Thereafter, the molded resin was chilled at -30 C. for about 16 hours (with 1-2 hours at room temperature at each temperature change). No cracking of the molded resin product was observed nor was there any deterioration of any of its physical properties. The resin was thereafter thrust into a 200 oven directly from a -30 C. freezer, and no cracking whatever occurred. The molded product was unusually hard when hot and did not exhibit any brittle properties when cold.

Table II, below, illustrates the use of a variety of tertiary amine oxides as curing catalysts or hardeners for epoxy type materials. The method employed in Examples 4-15 (enumerated in Table II) was the same as that followed in Example 3. The Epon 828 was similar to that used in Example 4 whereas the D.E.N. 438 used was an epoxy resin comprising the reaction product of a phenolformaldehyde resin and epichlorohydrin. D.E.N. 438 is a product of Dow Chemical Corporation, Midland, Michigan.

TABLE I.AMINE OXIDE CONCENTRATION (WEIGHT PERCENT) Curing time (Hours) At At 15 Amino Oxide Used Tribeuzylamine oxide. N,N-dimcthyl-pnitrobenzylamine oxide. N,N-dirnethylaniline oxide. Trimethylamine oxide. Triethylamine oxide. Tri-n-butylamine oxide. Pyridine 1-oxide 4-picoli11e-1-oxide 2,6-1utidine-1- oxide. l-methylmorpholine-l-oxide. Triethanolamine oxide. N ,N-dimethylbenzylamine oxide.

While the examples listed above have been performed with the use of only a limited number of epoxy resins, it should be understood that, as stated above, any type of epoxy material having the grouping o C-C may be employed to provide the new and improved heat curable epoxy resin tertiary amine oxide systems.

Included among the epoxy-containing materials which may be cured with the tertiary amine oxides of this invention are the epoxidized esters of the polyethylenically unsaturated monocarboxylic acids, such as epoxidized linseed, soyabean, perilla oiticia, tung, walnut and dehydrated castor oil, methyl linoleate, butyl linoleate, ethyl 9,12-octadecadienoate, butyl 9, 12 15-octadecatrienoate, ethyl elaeostearate, octyl 9,12-octadecadienoate, methyl elaostearate, monoglycerides of tung oil fatty acids, monoglycerides of soyabean oil, sunflower, rapeseed, hempseed, sardine, cottonseed oil and the like.

Another group of epoxy containing materials capable of being cured with the tertiary amine oxides of the invention include the epoxidized esters of unsaturated monohydric alcohols and p-olycarboxylic acids, such as, for example, di(2,3epoxybutyl) adipate, di(2,3-epoxybutyl) oxalate, di(2,3-epoxyhexyl) succinate, di(3,4-epoxybuty1) maleate, di(2,3-epoxyoctyl) pimelate, di(2,3-epoxybutyl) phthalate, di(2,3-epoxyoctyl) tetrahydrophthalate, di(4,5- epoxydodecyl) maleate, di(2,3-epoxybutyl) terephthalate, di(2,3-epoxypentyl) thiodipropionate, di(5,6-epoxytetradecyl) diphenyldicarboxylate, di(3,4-epoxyheptyl) sulfonyldibutyrate, tri(2,3-epoxybutyl) 1,2,4 butanetricarboxylate, di(5,6-epoxypentadecyl) tertarate, di(4,5-epoxytetradecyl) maleate, di(2,3-epoxybutyl) azelate, di(2,3-

, e 7 epoxybutyl) citrate, di(5,6-epoxyctyl) cyclohexane-1,3.-. drcarboxylate, di(4,5-'epoxyoctadecyl) malonate.

A further group of the epoxy-containing materials which i may be cured include epoxidized derivatives of polyethylenicallyunsaturated polycarboxylic acids, such as,

for example, dimethyl 8,9,12,l3-diepoxyeicosane-dioate, dibutyl 7,8,11,12-diepoxyoctadecanedioate, dioctyl 10, 11- diethyl-8,9,12,13-diepoxyeicosanedioate dihexyl 6,7,10,11- 'diepoxyhexadecanedioate,

didecyl 9-epoxy-ethyl-10,-11- epoxyoctadecenedionate, dibutyl 3-butyl-3,4,5,6-diepoxycyclohexane-l,3-dicarboxylate, dicylohexyl 3,4,5,6-diepoxycyclohexane-1,2-dicarboxylate, dibenzyl 1,2,4,5-'die-; .7

poxycyclohexane-1,2-dicarboxylate and diethyl 5,6,10,11- I diepoxyoctadecyl .succinate;

Still another group capable. of being similarly cured ,comprisesthe epoxidized polyesters obtained by reacting an unsaturated polyhy'dric alcohol and/or vunsaturated polycarboxylic acid or anhydride. groups, such as, for

example, the polyester obtained byireactingl8,9,l2,13.-;

eicosadienedioic acid with ethylene glycol, the polyester. obtained by reacting diethylene glycol with 2-cyclohexene-. 1,4-dicarb0xylic acid and the like, and mixtures thereof.

Another group of epoxy materials capable of being cured with the'tertiary amine oxides of this invention comprisesthe epoxidized polymers and copolymers of diolefins, such as butadienef Examples of this include,

among others, butadiene-acrylonitrile copolymers (Hycar.

rubbers), butadiene styrene copolymers and the like.

As stated above, in addition to the tertiary amine oxides of this invention, any tertiary amine oxide or mixture'of two or more tertiary amine oxides may be used to;cure an epoxy resin in accordance with the invention of my above referenced copending application. Among such tertiary amine oxides may be mentioned, for-instance, l-il-oxide,

methylpiperidine l-oxide, l-methylazetidine isoquinoline l-oxide, quinoline oxide and pyrazine l-oxide. By suitably-proportioning. the starting materials and i the temperature, the length of time required for a satis- I Satismaterials containing from about 0.1 to as h g l'as 10% by 'weight ot tertiary'amine oxide basedupon the weight of the epoxy resin; Inpthe preferred-embodiment of the present invention, however, the minimum amount :of tertiary amine oxide employed is such as'to obtain a total cure of theresin with a reasonably short period of time at'a temperature of from about:l00200? C. According-- ly, ranges from about,0.5 to 5% have been found to be 5 generally suitable and to satisfactorily effectuate the total cure of'an epoxy resin. It should 'be recognized, of course,

that. more or :less amine oxide curing catalystsrnay be used depending upon the specificepoxy material that is to be cured.

As will be appreciatedzby those skilled iri the. art, the new tertiary amine. oxides of this invention maybe em'-- ployed in rheattcurable tertiary amine oxide-epoxy resin systems for a'variety ot 'important applications; These useful tertiary amine oxide-resin: systems may be 'used,

for example,';insthe .preparationotcoating compositions such as enamels, paints and varnishes, in the preparation of pottings and castings, and as'adhesivestor a Wide variety of materials. Due to'the selfliminating nature of the tertiary amine oxide. curingcatalyst, these epoxy resine tertiary amine oxide systems' are particularly suitable for the preparation of cured resin products which are to be,

used in applications requiring good electrical'insulatioil characteristics; 3 a a What I claim as new. and ',desire"to securegby Letters Patent of the United Statesis:

Crystalline l-methylpyrrolidine.1-oxide.:

References Cited by the lixaminer UNITED STATES PATENTS 1 3,047,579. 7/1962 1 Witrnan .2 289" OTHERVRCEFERQTENCES Cram et a1.', Organic Chemistry, McGraw-Hill; Book ca, Inc., New York, 1959, .pages 1749;

Thesing et al.,'Chem. Ber., vol. 92, 1959., pages 1748-" 1755.

NICHOLAS S. RIZZO, Primary. Examiner.

, MARY OBRI-EN, Assistant Examiner; 

